Gary Bongiovanni To Retire From Pollstar in Summer 2018

Pollstar Founder Gary Bongiovanni is retiring next summer from the magazine he helped build, Amplify has learned.

Bongiovanni’s exit from the company he founded in 1981 in Fresno, California comes after the 2017 sale to Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff. For decades, he has served as Pollstar’s editor-in-chief, although he has stepped back in recent years and taken a less active role.

Earlier this year, co-founder Gary Smith traveled to Los Angeles to announce the sale of Pollstar to the Oak View Group for an undisclosed amount. The sale followed the purchase of Venues Today by OVG in December of last year.

At the time of the sale, Bongiovanni agreed to stay with the company for one more year. Smith is expected to stay on with Pollstar longer. Former Billboard editors Ray Waddell and Andy Gensler are now overseeing editorial operations at both Venues Today and Pollstar.

Prior to Pollstar, Bongiovanni worked for famed agent and N.W.A manager Jerry Heller at the Heller-Fischel Agency in LA. After several years, he relocated to Fresno, California for a job at Fresno State University and eventually came up with the idea for Pollstar, compiling data on concerts, ticket sales and contact directories. Bongiovanni is a graduate of California State University, Chico.

Dave Brooks has over 15 years experience as a writer, including eight years as the Managing Editor of Venues Today. He started Amplify in 2014 to give the industry its own voice and turn up the volume on live entertainment.

Dave Brooks has over 15 years experience as a writer, including eight years as the Managing Editor of Venues Today. He started Amplify in 2014 to give the industry its own voice and turn up the volume on live entertainment.

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Amplify Media was created by veteran reporter Dave Brooks. We are a 100% independent company dedicated to fearlessly covering the music business. We specialize in covering the live entertainment industry, focusing on promoters, agents, managers, venue executives and those serving the concert business.